Arrogance – A Repulsive Trait

Abu Huraiyrah(RA) narrated that the Prophet (Saws) said or Abu al-Qasim(Saws) said, “While a man, clad in two piece garment and proud of himself with his hair well combed, was walking Allawh suddenly made him sink into the earth and he will keep sinking into it until the day of Resurrection”(Similar h’adees also narrated by Al Bukhari and Muslim).

Explanation of the H’adees

Man sometimes forgets the truth of his origin and that he was created from the most basic of substances: clay. He forgets that even if he is handsome and well dressed, he still carries waste in his abdomen. He forgets that no matter how tall he is, he won’t be able to delve deep into the earth or outreach the mountains. A thorn makes him bleed, the mosquito hurts him, and the snake frightens him. His fate will be death. If anyone tried to observe someone after his burial they would be terrified.

Some people forget all of that and think very highly of themselves, admiring their bodies, colour, height and beautiful clothes. They walk ostentatiously and arrogantly turning their face away from people and looking down upon them in condescension. They think they are the best when in fact, they are the worst and they might earn Allawh’s Torment in this life before the Hereafter. Luqman gave the following advice to his son: “And turn not your face away from men with pride, nor walk in insolence through the earth. Verily, Allawh likes not each arrogant boaster (31:18)”.Surah Al-Isra provides advice for avoiding arrogant behavior “And walk not on the earth with conceit and arrogance. Verily, you can neither rend nor penetrate the earth, nor can you attain a stature like the mountains in height. (17:37)

This man of the past (as mentioned in the h’adees above) belonged to that type of arrogant people. He admired himself and went on working arrogantly among his people, dragging his gown ostentatiously behind him. This led to Allawh’s anger. As a result he made him sink into the earth as he did to Croesus, as this punishment is repeated over and over until the Day of Resurrection.

Greatness is for Allawh only, the one and the self-sufficient for whom the traits of perfection and honor belong. Allawh(SWT)said,(in a h’adees qudsi): “Pride is My upper garment and Might My lower garment. Those who dispute with Me over one of them, I shall cast into the fire.” Anyone who thinks highly of himself is trying to compete with Allawh for whom only perfection is attached. Therefore he deserves Allawh’s punishment in the Hereafter. Although sometimes his punishment might occur in his present life. The arrogant do not deserve the grace of the Hereafter since Allawh created the Hereafter for those who are humble. Allawh (SWT) said, “I shall turn from My signs those who wax proud on the earth without right.”(7:146) These arrogant people corrupt earth with their arrogance. It is for that reason that Allawh prohibits people from behaving arrogantly.

Lessons from the H’adees:

1. Arrogance is an attribute of the soul which arises from one’s perception of oneself. Arrogance is a great crime and is blameworthy. It destroys one in this life and the hereafter. The Prophet (Saws) said, “He in whose heart lies an atom’s weight of arrogance shall not enter the Garden.”

2. It is not allowed for a man to drag his clothes arrogantly behind him.An-Nawawi summarized the points related to dragging clothes as follows “Dragging clothes arrogantly below the ankles on the ground is forbidden. If it is done in arrogance then it is hated. All scholars have agreed that it is allowed for women to drag their clothes.”

3. It is not arrogance that the worshipper reveals by wearing nice shoes and beautiful clothes. It is from Allawh’s Grace, especially if it is accompanied by thanking Allawh as stated in the H’adees.

4. Some sins advance the Punishment of Allawh into this life before the Hereafter as was done to that arrogant man who sank into the earth.

Proof of the torment of the grave. The one who sank into the earth as the Prophet (Saws) told us , would remain sinking repeatedly into the earth until the Day of Resurrection.